Official Charity

KIDS UNDER COVER

Kids Under Cover is pleased to return to the Melbourne International Flower & Garden Show in 2017 and excited once again to be recognised as the Official Charity Partner.

So, look out for the Cubby House Challenge. The Cubby House Challenge brings together members of the building industry to design, build and decorate highly creative and unique children’s cubby houses for public viewing and subsequent public auction.

Kids Under Cover is a not‑for‑profit organisation dedicated to preventing youth homelessness. They take a unique and innovative early intervention approach to youth homelessness that begins with the provision of stable and secure accommodation.

Nearly half of the 105,000 homeless people in Australia are under the age of 25. The number of young people who are homeless has increased by 17% according to the latest Census data.

Homelessness is not a choice for many young people. Their living situation has become emotionally and often, physically unbearable. They struggle with poverty, trauma and emotional stress, and in a severely overcrowded home, some young
people feel there is simply no option but to leave. However, they’re not ready and have nowhere to go.

“The importance of our studio program is that it gives a young person freedom to choose to remain connected to their families and support networks. It provides them with a vital and personal sense of safety and space, and once it is no longer needed the studio is relocated to accommodate another person in need.”Jo Swift, CEO of Kids Under Cover

Kids Under Cover helps keep young people connected to their families and carers by providing relocatable studios for young people to live in at home. These small but practical studios give at-risk young people a chance to stay close to their networks, but provide them the valuable space they need.

This provision of secure accommodation is complemented with further support for education and basic training expenses.

The combination of accommodation with educational support has proven to be a simple yet effective approach to the long-term prevention of youth homelessness; helping keep families together.

For more information about these unique programs, or to find out how you can help, visit www.kuc.org.au